The Standard has reliably learnt that over the last few days, last-minute efforts have been underway to ease the tension and anxiety regenerated by two weeks of impasse between the National Sports Council and the Gambia Football Federation, GFF.
The Standard yesterday confirmed that the Minister of sports Henry Gomez and the NSC have both been in contact with Fifa and have explained their sides of the story to the world body.
According to our sources, the NSC has made it known to Fifa that they are not opposed to lifting the suspension on the GFF, pending that Football House accept to be investigated. The NSC said our source, indicated that the suspension of the GFF came only as a last resort ‘when they, the GFF openly refused to comply with lawful authority’.
Our source further stated that Fifa was keen to listen to both sides and in the coming few days either a Fifa delegation will arrive in Banjul or an invitation will be sent for the stakeholders of the saga to visit Zurich over the matter. Meanwhile according to our source, the NSC and the GFF are expected to agree on the way forward as soon as possible. “There are two options on the table when the two meet or write to each other. The GFF will have to accept to be investigated whereupon the NSC will have to announce the lifting of the suspension, or if they could not agree, then the stalemate will continue,” said our source.
